2013 Twentieth Century Fox

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Reviewed byKerry Bennett

In Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, a struggling high school student named Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) discovers he is really the son of the Greek god Poseidon, making him half human and half god. In this sequel, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, he finds out he has a brother from another mother. (It seems fidelity isn’t one of his father’s better qualities.) While Tyson (Douglas Smith), the ocularly challenged half sibling, isn’t what Percy would have picked for a brother, he is still family.

However Percy’s surprise over his new familial relation is forgotten when a fire-breathing mechanical bull attacks the camp where he and the other offspring of the philandering Greek gods live, secluded from the rest of the world. Battering the protective barrier around the encampment until it fails, the monstrous beast destroys buildings and tosses the campers around like rag dolls before he is brought down.

In the aftermath, the young half bloods learn the only way to restore their protective shield is to retrieve the legendary Golden Fleece from an island located in the Sea of Monsters (the Bermuda Triangle). Along with his friends Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) and Grover (Brandon T. Jackson), Percy and his new brother set out to bring back the fleece. But they are not the only ones looking for the powerful artifact. Luke (Jake Abel), the estranged son of Hermes (Nathan Fillion), also has wants to get his hands on the item and use it to bring the evil Titan Kronos back from the dead.

The travelers’ journey, like any worthwhile Greek odyssey, is replete with dangerous mythical creatures, perilous sea adventures and clashes between good and evil. Kidnapping, weapon use, a shooting and bloody facial lacerations also occur. While a perfunctory knowledge of Greek mythology may help with the myriad of characters introduced in this story, don’t despair if you haven’t read the book the movie is based on. This film still packs plenty of entertainment value even if you don’t remember Athena is the goddess of wisdom and Hermes is swift of foot. Without gratuitous violence and only minor amounts of other content, this movie may be one of the best choices this summer for older children and teens that want action without unnecessary amounts of language and sexual depictions.

Setting itself up for another sequel, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters may not have the same wild popularity as Harry Potter but this compassionate and likeable hero is certainly one worth introducing to your family.

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Discussion Ideas After The Movie

Teaching ideas and topics to discuss about Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

What insecurities does Percy face? Does his inability to communicate with his father add to his problems?

How does Percy show compassion to others? How does he allow others to succeed rather than seek for all the glory himself? What other good qualities does he possess?

What does the camp director mean when he says knowledge can be a burden? How does Percy’s knowledge of the prophecy affect his actions?

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